Mental health and marital health among parents of children with autism

Author : Ayelet Siman-Tov

Abstract :—Background: The research validates a multivariate model that predicts parental adjustment to coping successfully with an autistic child. The suggested model is based on theoretical views on stress and links personal resources, stress, perception, parental mental health, and quality of marriage and child adjustment with autism. The model comprises four elements: parental stress, parental resources, parental adjustment, and the child's autism symptoms. Materials and methods: 176 parents of children aged between 6 to 16 diagnosed with ASD answered several questionnaires measuring parental stress, personal resources (sense of coherence, locus of control, social support) adjustment (mental health and marriage quality), and the child's autism symptoms. Results: Path analysis showed that sense of coherence, internal locus of control, social support and quality of marriage increase the ability to cope with the stress of parenting an autistic child. Directions for further research are suggested

Keywords :Stress, Adjustment, Resources, Autism, Parents, Coherence

Conference Name :International Conference on Family Nursing and Healthcare (ICFNH-2025)

Conference Place Lisbon, Portugal

Conference Date 5th Aug 2025